Piano.



No. 833,923. PATENTED OCT. 23, 1903. P. 33331313.

PIANO. 3 APPLICATION FILED JULZ 14. 1906.

HHllln rut: NORRIS Prnms C0,, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC GEHRING, OF WAYNESBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJOHN M. BURNS, OF WAYNESBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1906.

Application filed July 14, 1905. Serial No. 269,654.

particularly to a novel form of plate adapted to be used in conjunctionwith the sound.- 1ngboard of the piano or like instrument.

The object of my invention is to provide a I1 novel construction andarrangement of parts l which will obviate the harsh undesirable metallictones produced by the metal, and especially by cast-metal frames, andthe many advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in theart of piano construction.

With the above and other objects n view, which will be more readilyapparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The essential features of the invention are necessarily susceptible tovarious structural changes without departing from the general spirit ofthe invention, but a preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is anelevation of a piano stringframe equipped with my improved plate. Fig. 2is a sectional view on the line 00 2c of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an edge viewof my improved plate. Fig. 4 is a similar view of an auxiliary plate.Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved plate on anenlarged scale, and Fig. 6 is a bottom edge view showing the manner inwhich the flange of one of the plates is cut away to receive the otherplate.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an ordinary form ofstring-frame for an upright piano as equipped with my improved plate;but I desire it to be understood that the same can readily be used inconnection with grand or other types of pianos.

The reference-numeral 1 designates the marginal flange of the back frameof a piano,

the body of the back frame not appearing in the drawings, as it iscovered by the sounding-boards. On the sounding-board 2 rests a metallicstring-plate 3, suitably fastened to the marginal flange 1 of the backframe.

The bass strings 4 and the treble strings 5 each have one end thereofsecured. to this string-plate 3. The opposite ends of these strings 4and 5 are secured to my improved plates 6 and 7, the lower edges ofwhich plates 6 and 7 are flanged, as at 8 8, and are suitably secured tothe back frame of the piano. Instead of providing the plate 6 with araised, arched, or cupola-shaped base-web, as is frequently done, Iprovide the auxiliary plate 7 to receive the overstrung bass strings 4of the piano, said strings being preferably arranged above the treblestrings 5 and at an angle thereto.

In order that the plate 6 may be strengthened and braced within themarginal flanges of the back frame of the piano, I employ brace-bars 9,which are secured to the plate 6 and the string-plate 3. The plate 6 maybe further secured by screws 10 to the framework of the pinao (notshown) to support the same. In connection with the brace-bars 9 I employa transversely-arranged brace 11. The brace-bars 9 are shouldered andcut away, as at 12, to span the brace 11. The brace 11 may be-secured tothe brace-bars in any desired manner.

An important feature of my invention resides in-the composition of theplates 6 and 7, the brace 11, and the brace-bars 9. In the formation ofthe plates 6 and 7, which plates may be of various shapes and sizes, Ipreferably employ a high grade of steel as a f0un dation or core, andwhen the steel plate has been given the desired shape and size I plateor coat the same with a softer metal than the foundation or core such,for instance, as tin, lead, copper, aluminium, or like metaland Ipreferably coat the said steel plates, bar 11, and brace-bars 9 byelectroplating them, though obviously other suitable or desired meansmay be employed to form the composite plates, brace, and bars.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings the plate 6 is shown in enlarged view'with itscoating of the softer metal, this view showing a sectional view of thefinished or completed plate.

By employing the composite plates, as described, the tone-producingquality of the instrument has been found to be materially improved, theharshness thereof being practically eliminated.

hat I clim is 1. In a piano, the combination With the sounding-board andbass and treble strings, of composite plates having one end of said bassand treble strings respectively fastened thereto, said plates consistingof a steel foundation or core having a coating of softer metal.

2. In a piano, the combination With the sounding-board and the strings,of a stringplate to Which one end of said strings are attached,composite plates having the other ends of the strings fastened thereto,said plates embodying a foundation or core of hard metal coated With asofter metal.

3. In a piano, the combination With the sounding-board and the stringsthereof, of composite plates carried adjacent to said sounding-board andhaving one end of each string fastened thereto, each composite plate Iconsisting of a hard-metal foundation or core and a coating of softermetal.

4. The combination With the soundingboard of a'piano and the strings, ofa plurality of composite plates, supporting-strings above thesounding-board, each plate consisting of a hard-metal foundation orcore, and an outer layer of softer metal.

5. A string-support for pianos, comprising a composite plate, said plateembodying a hard-metal foundation or core and an outer layer of softermetal, and means to secure strings to said plate.

6. A string-support for pianos consisting of sectional composite plates,each plate embodying a hard-metal core and an outer layer of softermetal, and means to attach strings to said plates.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of tWoWitnesses.

FREDERIO GEHRING.

Witnesses:

K. H. BUTLER, C. KLOSTERMANN.

